Irish Soda Bread

I love a good Irish Soda Bread! I’ve had it with raisins – yum!, callaway seeds – A-mazing and sunflower seeds – delicious! The best part about Irish Soda Bread is…wait for it…NO YEAST! I suppose that could a con if you’ve saved up all of your pent up frustration for punching down the dough after it has proofed.
I have read that you can add different seeds or dried fruits if you prefer.
Happy baking!

My mom’s maiden name is O’Donnell, and she’s quite proud of her Irish heritage. I, however, identify much more with the Eastern European cultural traditions I learned from my Hungarian grandma and Slovak grandpap, who lived just five doors down from my childhood home. So while I’ve got fair skin and freckles, my Irishness has always been much more in theory than it has ever been in practice.

Until today, I’d never made Irish soda bread, and I have to admit that I felt like a total amateur. This recipe comes from my friend Ciara, a woman whose knowledge of Irish culture could certainly put mine to shame. She was Miss Smiling Irish Eyes Pittsburgh a few years back, and this recipe is one she and her mom make each year. You could add raisins if you like, but I chose to leave mine plain.